I love pouring into your leadership with my Saturday articles. These consist of a series of lessons I gleaned throughout the week which did not get their own article but I felt were important enough to share with you.
This week’s lessons all come from the Olympics. The lessons contained will make you a better leader. Let’s get started discussing five things the most successful leaders do!
The Most Successful Leaders Focus On What’s Next
On Saturday, August 10th, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke the world record in the 400-meter hurdles by running a time of 50.37 seconds. She was so dominant, her opponent was not the other racers, but rather the clock itself.
McLaughlin-Levrone said in this The Athletic article, “I crossed the line and was definitely grateful for that time. Was hoping it was a little faster … I’m sure there are some things in the middle there we can clean up.” She then added, “All I know is today is Thursday. And tomorrow is Friday.”
She also added, “I credit all that I do to God. Regardless of what happens, He’s going to get the praise. Every time I step on the track I pray ‘let me be the vessel in which you’re glorified”… That’s why I do what I do.’ ”
The most successful leaders are never satisfied, always looking to improve, and focus on what’s next.
The Most Successful Leaders Earn Respect Through Accomplishment
Speaking of successful leaders, let’s now talk about sprinter Gabby Thomas. On Tuesday, August 5th, she won the gold medal in the women’s 200-meter final. With the American flag draped around her, she said, “I feel like I am a big name now in track and field. I feel like I’ve earned my respect — and it took years. But that’s what it takes. I went against some really, really good runners today. And I did it.”
Thomas concluded, “This is years in the making. People don’t really see what goes on behind the scenes and how hard we work.”
Though she is a world-class athlete, Thomas never felt she truly earned the respect she deserved until she won the Gold Medal. By her own admission, this level of respect took years of behind-the-scenes hard work to earn.
Are you willing to do the same to earn the respect you feel you deserve?
The Most Successful Leaders Are Artists
One leader who has already earned a tremendous amount of respect at a young age is 22-year-old Gold Medal surfing prodigy Caroline Marks. In this The Athletic article, she described surfing as “painting a picture.” She elaborated, “When you’re on the wave, you’re very free, It’s an open canvas. There’s never the same wave, and it’s always exciting. It’s a sport you can never really master.”
You can never really master leadership as well. It is also an open canvas. There is just too much nuance, moving parts, uncertainty, and things are always exciting. As a result, leadership is often more art than science.
The most successful leaders are artists. For more on Marks, watch the interview below.
The Most Successful Leaders Start Fast
You may not know the name Armand Duplantis, but you should. Nicknamed “Mondo”, he is the Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, or Katie Ledecky of his sport. Duplantis is simply the greatest pole vaulter who has ever lived. After this year’s Olympics, he now holds the 10 highest vaults in the sport’s history.
There are many aspects to being a world-class pole vaulter, but it begins with the speed someone runs down the track and approaches the lift.
American pole vaulter KC Lightfoot said about Duplantis in this article from The Athletic, “He’s just so fast down the runway. He’s faster than all of us by quite a bit. Speed equals height in pole vault.”
Speed equals height in the pole vault. Speed also many times makes the difference in decision-making, taking advantage of opportunities, investing, and your leadership as a whole. Passivity is not a leader’s friend.
The most successful leaders start fast.
The Most Successful Leaders Execute Under Pressure
On July 31st, French swimming sensation Leon Marchand became the first person to win gold medals in both the 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter breaststroke. And he did it on the same night.
Even more impressive, he did this while under the pressure of performing in front of his fellow country men.
Prior to the Olympics, Marchand said in this article from The Athletic, “The main thing is just getting prepared in the water — the main thing is just swimming as fast as possible. But it’s also not only about swimming when it’s a home Olympics.”
Marchand knew it was what he did in the water in the Olympics which mattered most. That is what separates him from all others in his sport.
What separates the most successful leaders from the others is the ability to execute under pressure when it matters most.
Conclusion
The following are 5 Things The Most Successful Leaders Do (That Others Don’t):
- Focus on what’s next.
- Earn respect through accomplishment.
- Are artists.
- Start fast.
- Execute under pressure.
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